About children: The many definitions of father

By BEV THEIL Columnist

Saturday

Jun 15, 2013 at 4:00 AM

Tomorrow is Father's Day in the United States. Father's Day is celebrated on a variety of dates worldwide. In the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Chile, France, Japan and India, Father's Day is celebrated the third Sunday in June.

Father is a changing role in our changing world. We are seeing the role of father expressed and defined in many ways.

Perhaps it is time to look at how father is now defined. According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, the word father is defined seven ways. First as "a man who has begotten a child" or if capitalized "GOD the first person of the Trinity." Second, as "forefather -- one related to another in a way suggesting that of father to child" third an old man, used as a respectful form of address. Fourth, in relation to the early Christian church a "church father."

A fifth way father is used is "one that originates or institutes" such as "the father of modern science." Sixth is the commonly known form of address for a member of the clergy. The seventh definition of father is usually used in the plural "fathers" indicating the leading men of a city or country as in "founding fathers."

Going to a more contemporary language source -- Wikipedia -- I found the definition of father broken down by three categories -- biological, non-biological (legal/social) and contact level.

As I read through the three groupings I realized how much fatherhood has changed over time. In the 1940s and 1950s you had a stepfather only because your "real" father had been killed (often during war) and your mother remarried. In those times father was a simply defined term. Not so today.

Under biological fathers I found the following terms: Baby Daddy -- a biological father who bears financial responsibility for a child, but has little or no contact with the mother. Birth father -- the biological father of a child who does not raise the child due to adoption or parental separation. Biological father -- the genetic father of a child. Posthumous father -- a father who died before the child was born (or conceived in cases of artificial insemination).

Putative father -- an unwed man who is alleged to be or claims he may be the biological father of a child but who does not have a legal relationship to a child. Sperm donor -- the anonymous biological father used during in vitro fertilization type procedures (also used as a slang term meaning "baby daddy"). Surprise father -- a man who does not know he is a father until possibly years after the child's birth. Teenage father/youthful father -- associated with teenage sexual intercourse resulting in a child's birth.

Non-biological fathers are: The adoptive father who has adopted a child. The cuckolded father whose wife has a child through an adulterous relationship. The DI Dad who is the social/legal father of children produced via donor insemination. The foster father who raises children for whom he is not the biological or adoptive father.

The presumed father is one who is presumed to be the father regardless of if he actually is or is not the biological father. Finally, there is the stepfather, a married non-biological father to a child from a previous relationship.

I found fatherhood defined by contact level to be especially interesting. Fatherhood defined by contact level included the absent father who cannot or will not spend time with his child. The second father, a non-parent whose contact and support creates a near parental bond (often used for older male siblings/relatives).

The stay-at-home dad who stays at home to care for the child while the mother works outside the home. Last of all is the weekend/holiday father who only sees his child on weekends, holidays, etc.

If you are a father, take a moment and see which definition and category fits your style of fathering. How involved a father are you? Could you be more involved? Children need both parents involved in their lives.

If you are a mother, thank your child's father. No matter what your relationship, you would not have your beautiful child without him. If you are keeping him from his child, please rethink that choice.

If you are a child -- of any age -- thank the fathers in your life.

To all fathers everywhere, but especially to Ken, Happy Father's Day.

Bev Theil is a child advocate in Wayne and Holmes counties. She can be contacted at aboutchildrennow@aol.com.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.